Published 7:48 pm, Friday, November 2, 2012

STAMFORD -- As Stamford continues its rapid development, local conservationists are hoping voters will approve the creation of a citywide commission charged with recording and preserving the city's past.

The fourth Charter revision referendum question, if approved by voters on Election Day, would establish a Historic Preservation Advisory Commission within Stamford government. The group would provide guidance and advice to the city's land use boards but would not have any oversight or enforcement powers.

"We have a lot of special places in Stamford," said local preservationist Marshall Millsap. "We've gotten to the point where we recognize the efforts we've made already in terms of historic preservation, but this is a citywide commission that will be a part of forethought and planning."

Millsap is chairman of Old Long Ridge Historic District Commission and a member of the Historic Neighborhood Preservation Program. He said historic preservation isn't just about saving old buildings from demolition, but also entails documenting and protecting historic communities.

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Stamford voters will be asked to accept or reject nine proposed changes to the city Charter on the Nov. 6 ballot. The Advocate will cover each of the referendum questions in-depth this week.

"This is not about what is called house hugging, it's about thinking about our history as a resource," Millsap said. "Identifying a particular house or property is not that difficult. But missing a neighborhood is. Glenbrook, Springdale -- if you change one element of that you're going to lose a look and feeling that's been there for 100 years."

A citywide historic commission would enable local historians to conduct systematic and reliable documentation of Stamford's historic sites. Commission members would be able to coordinate preservation efforts and work closely with local authorities, Millsap said.

"It needs to have a connection to the planning process," he said. "It needs to capture the neighborhood angle of this."

Charter Revision Commission Co-Chairman Vincent Freccia said he envisions the advisory group as providing centralized information and resources to land use boards. The group would have played a useful role this past year, when a proposal to demolish the 19th century farmhouse at Sterling Farms Golf Course sparked heated controversy, he said. More than 100 people attended a public hearing on the proposal in February.

"The public got up and there were various speeches about the pros and cons of both sides and it became very entertaining," Freccia said. "I think that if this does pass this will be a prime example of having a centralized voice."

Mayor Michael Pavia said the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission would be a valuable addition to Stamford government.

"I wish they were able to roll that back 20 years when there was a lot more to work with," he said. "But I think there's still enough in our city that's worth preserving and to have that kind of voice and recognition that historic buildings and architecture are an important component to our city now and in the future -- I think it is significant."

"It's a beautiful building and I would like to see buildings like that evaluated not just for the land that they occupy but rather for some greater use that the history of the building provides," Pavia said. "The architecture of the building is something that many people can appreciate for generations. You see it all over Europe and that's what draws people to Europe."

The Historic Preservation Advisory Commission will become a permanent part of Stamford government if voters approve the fourth Charter revision question on Tuesday. The commission's composition and membership would be determined by the Board of Representatives.